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When it comes to career development, supply chain managers have to execute a bit of jiu jitsu. They’re charged with nding and developing the next generation of talent while simultaneously advancing their own careers in a eld that is often overlooked by senior management. The biggest challenge of all is getting their agenda in front of the Board at a time when supply chain operations are more critical than ever to an organization’s success, but still largely invisible compared to sales, marketing, and product development. Remember: It’s your career—and your supply chain. We hope this month’s issue will help you make the most of both.

No one has to tell you about the market forces weighing on distributors: from high expectations of the purchase experience to direct-from-manufacturer purchasing to rapidly changing demographics.
Read this whitepaper to uncover the perceptions and behaviors driving the changes, and gain insight into how you can leverage them into greater differentiation and growth.

Collaboration isn't a new concept. What is new is how we collaborate. Innovative technologies such as social collaboration platforms, mobility applications and intelligent analytics and dashboards have become much more prominent within the supply chain. During this webcast we'll explore how combining these innovations with end-to-end supply chain visibility creates a prime opportunity to maximize your manufacturing Supply Chain IQ, enabling you to make better decisions and execute those decisions more quickly and profitably.

While the outlook in the Global Financial Stability Report is for continued recovery and a gradual improvement in financial stability, considerable risks remain.

By Patrick Burnson, Executive Editor

October 08, 2010

Progress to restore global financial stability has suffered a setback in advanced economies, the International Monetary Fund said in its latest Global Financial Stability Report, with markets still sensitive to negative surprises.

While the outlook in the Global Financial Stability Report is for continued recovery and a gradual improvement in financial stability, considerable risks remain. Rising public debt burdens, funding challenges for banks, and increased uncertainty about the next phase of the recovery have prevented a return of confidence.

José Viñals, Financial Counselor and Director of the IMF’s Monetary and Capital Markets Department, said the financial system remains the “Achilles’ heel of the recovery” because of unfinished repairs to bank balance sheets and the need for further regulatory reforms.

“As a result, financial markets remain sensitive to negative surprises, and can quickly shift back to crisis mode,” said Viñals.

Carlos Gutierrez, chairman of Global Political Strategies. Speaking at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professional’s (CSCMP) annual meeting in San Diego last week, also noted that public debt is still high and rising in many advanced economies. Both he and Viñals maintain that more needs to be done to ensure sustainability.

According to the IMF, coordinated government support programs and the announcement of ambitious fiscal reforms have helped contain the market turmoil that broke out in April and May this year. However, fiscal risks remain elevated, particularly in advanced economies where public sector balance sheets have significant weaknesses.

Meanwhile, risks in emerging economies have declined in the past six months, and countries have benefited from inflows of capital as investors seek out higher returns and better growth prospects, notably in Asia and Latin America. As advanced economies continue to struggle with high debt levels, emerging economies are expected to near pre-crisis low debt levels in the next few years.

The IMF said there is the potential for substantial asset reallocation to emerging markets from advanced economies, which could mean a surge in capital flows.

While countries have a number of different macroprudential tools to deal with the risks associated with large capital inflows, the IMF said policies should focus on measures that improve the capacity of local markets to absorb the capital.

About the Author

Patrick BurnsonExecutive Editor

Patrick Burnson is executive editor for Logistics Management and Supply Chain Management Review magazines and web sites. Patrick is a widely-published writer and editor who has spent most of his career covering international trade, global logistics, and supply chain management. He lives and works in San Francisco, providing readers with a Pacific Rim perspective on industry trends and forecasts. You can reach him directly at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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